What started as a casual joke on Facebook has morphed into a reality for the Brimfield Police Department.

The police force will host "Shop with a Cop" car wash from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 15 at the Brimfield police station.

"It was something I said one day when I was talking about school security or I was talking about something, and I said if need be, we'll wash cars in a hula skirt," Brimfield Police Chief David Oliver said.

People loved the idea, so Oliver and the officers planned this car wash to raise money to take a minimum of 80 children shopping in August for school clothes and backpacks. He said the department decided to host a back-to-school "Shop with a Cop" for children who can't afford new clothes for school, something he said he understands from growing up poor.

"I can identify with a lot of kids who may not have new clothes to wear to school, so we want to try to change that a little bit," Oliver said. "Because it certainly will, I think, lift their spirits a little bit and give them a little self-confidence."

Although this is the department's first back-to-school "Shop with a Cop," it has hosted a Christmas "Shop with a Cop" for nine years. Last year, officers took 137 children and gave them each $100 to spend from donations the department received.

Oliver said he doesn't know how many people will attend, but with the amount of people who like and interact with the department through its Facebook page, he thinks the officers could possibly have a busy day.

"We've had people say, 'If you guys are going to be in hula skirts, I would drive from Maryland,'" Oliver said.

Despite the jokes, the officers will not be wearing hula skirts.

"Now I wouldn't put it past me to wear a hula skirt," Oliver said. "But I don't think I will."